Extensive monetary damage and potential human injury are experienced each year due to the collision of large aircraft wingtips with ground facilities and other aircraft. The principal reason for these collisions appears to be the pilot misjudging the clearance distance available for the passage of the wingtip when operating in tight quarters or in unfamiliar facilities.
Cameras have been used on aircraft in various locations, including wingtips, for this sort of application before. However, the lack of depth perception inherent in a two-dimensional camera display cannot reliably provide the pilot with clearance information.